Weatherproof socket



Julle 1935- V c. BATEHOLTS 2,003,622

I WEATHERPROOF SOCKET Filed May 4, 1932 Patented June 4, 1935 UNITEDSTATES,

' WEATHERPROOF SOCKET Clinton Batcholts, Hoosick Falls, N. Y., assignorto Specialty, Insulation Manufacturing Company, Inc., Hoosick Falls, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application May 4, 1932, Serial No.609,067

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in weather-proof sockets. Moreparticularly it relates tosockets for receiving electric light bulbs,cord plugs and the like, and especially to E the'-weather-proof class ofsuch sockets which are suitable for use out-of-doors, in connection withsign illumination, out-door decorations, and for other lighting or powerconnections;

'I-litherto weather-proof sockets of this gen- 10 eral description havebeen made of condensation material molded around the usual metallicsheet metal shell which is formed with a screw thread to receive thelamp. The shell wall constitutes one electric terminal; and the innerend of the shell is closed by a porcelain insulating disk in the midstof which is set the brass pin which constitutes the'other electricterminal. In-the weather-proof type of socket-with which the inventionis concerned, these interior terminalsare each at the inner end of aninsulated wire, to which each is firmly connected by solder; and thesewires lead out through the base of the molded housing and extend for afew inches for convenience of connection to a pair of feed wires bytapping those wires whereever required. The socket and its lamp' willthen be supported by suspension from the feed wires. The inventionrelates to the combining of the metallic shell with the moldedinsulating casing which houses it. Hitherto, in'the making of suchsockets, it has been customary to have a mold into which the shell unitwould be set, having been previously prepared with wires attached, andbeing screwed upon a stud in 5 the mold, and the wires being brought outthrough the top of the'mold cavity; and the molded compound would thenbe filled in around the shell, making an operation that would have to beexecuted piece by piece and which there- 40': fore was slow andrelatively quite expensive as compared with modern molding practice ingenmetallic shell may be positively and effectively-'- locked withina-separately molded socket body 55? or housing, so as'to be permanentlysecure both against being pulled out from the molded socket andagainstrotating therein (turning with the lamp base when the lamp' is tobe put in or taken out), and permanently tight against en trance ofmoisture. 5

Another object is to provide so that a complete socket unit may beassembled quickly and economically, as regards material and labor costsof manufacture. I

And atthe same time the completed unit provided by the invention must befully as durable as the best molded prior devices of the sort, and aspermanently strong, weather-proof and efficient.

The invention attains these objects and results by performing themolding operation on the socket body or housing independently of theshell. Consequently these housings can be made complete, each as aseparate article, at very low cost, by molding them in gangs or batchesaccording to molding methods already known. 'The housing thus made has apair of holes for the conductor wires to pass loosely through later whenthe metallic shell is inserted. The latter, which may be the usualstandard metallic shell, fits nicely into the hollow of the housing. Asuitable synthetic waterproof composition is put into the bottom of thehousing to seal said holes around the conductors and to-fill the lowerspace between the shell and housing. The shell being then pressed intoplace, the composition distributes itself, filling the necessary spaces,and in due course of time becomes solidified. Without waiting for thesolidification, the shell .may be made permanently secure in itsposition by denting its sheet metal wall outward at one or more points,opposite one or more cavities which were prepared for this purpose inthe interior face of the housing. Although the dents are made throughthe screw thread of the shell, into which thread the lamp base has toenter, they do not interfere with its reception, for they are dentedtoward the other side of the screw metal from that on which thelamp isreceived. This fastening means becomesoperative as a lug, which looksthe shell against escape from the housing and against rotationtherein.Also, by coaction with the solidified distributed composition, itinhibits loosene'ss or other like cause for commercial criticism ofthe-product. However, the deformation of the shell walls needonly berelatively small, and thus they do not affect in the slightest'theability of theshell to receive a lamp base or electric plug inthe samecharac- 5.5v

teristic manner as do the present electric sockets.

By virtue of the invention each of the parts is therefore free to bemade in the most economical way; and a completed socket is made by asimple and quick assembling operation, which leaves the parts lockedtogether, mechanically; with a plastic body sealing'the holes andautogenously becoming hard.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expressionwhatever features of patentable novelty exist in the inventiondisclosed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is an elevation of a series of my proved sockets connected foruse;

Figure 2 is an elevation, in medial section,

through the molded housing of a socket. similar to those of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an elevation, in medial section through a completed socket,except that the wire conductors and. the greater part ofthemetallicshell are left intact; and

Figure 4' is. an. enlargement of: a fragment of Figure 3. p

Referring to the drawing, three of my improved socket-assemblies areseen in Figure 1', as they may be connected. in parallel to the feedwires ID, for use in connection with an outof-doors illuminating: schemewhere they may safely be exposed, whether to rain, to hot rays of. thesun, or. to rigors of wintry weather,- weather-proof as regards; allnatural temperature and moisture conditions.

The socket housing: I2, seen in detail in Figures 2, 3, is made bymolding. from any suitable composition. material, suchas phenoliccondensation products; which is weather-proof. and which also is an.excellent insulator.

to the proper terminals. on the standard type of metallic shell insertI8.

According to the invention, the molded body I2 has its cup shaped hollow20,, seen in- Figure 2, of size to receive the shell I8 with nice fitaround the side walls as seenin Figure 3, with a space below the insert,in the bottom part of the cup, through which space the conductors I6, I6 extend to their respective openings I4,

I4-leading' out of the unit. The vbody I2 is -molded into a shapeproviding; one or more small abrupt recesses 22 interiorly of its sidewalls, well up toward its mouth. In the drawing four such recesses 22are illustrated, but,

obviously, a less or greater number may be pro vided, as desired. Thusformed, the molded housing I2 is ready to receive its insert I8, whoseattached conductors I6- are at that time threadedthroughthe openings I4eachof which is slightly larger in diameter than one of the conductors.A small amount of aviscous synthetic sealing composition- I5- havingbeen. put

into the bottom of the cup body I2, all space remaining, around theconductors within the housing and in the holes I4, is filled thereby as-the shell insert I 8 moves into the hollow. of

the housing: I2 and its leading endportion I9, which consists ofv a.-porcelain. disk, becomes pushed into the plastic sealing medium I5, ex-

pressing it intoall small spaces which need sealiimqandholdingytheinnerend of the brass in the appended claims;

The hous-v ing I2 which roughly is of- .cup shape, may be;

shell I8 steady within the housing when the sealing medium has hardened.

While any suitable sealing compositon may be used for this purpose, Ihave found it satisfactory to employ the molding material disclosed inPatents 1,251,862 and 1,251,863 of January 1, 1918, granted onapplication of William W. Carter, a composition which is commonlycharacterized as a synthetic rubber substitute. When used for thepurpose herein stated the composition is made so that it will mold in asofter degree than the usual hard products and is solidified by theapplication of heat at the time the metal shell is forced into themolded housing.

Myinvention contemplates the reinforcing of the union by providingpositive mechanical engagement or locking of the shell against movementrelative to its housing member I2. This may be accomplished simply,quickly and economically by denting points on the shell wallsoutwardeinto the cavity recesses 22 of the hous-- ing I2. Said recessesare located near the mouth of the socket, and the shell walls.conveniently may be deformed into them, by local expansionv as at. 23 inFigure 3, without destroying the utility of the shell threads forreceiving a lamp base, or the like. In fact a very small spreading ofshell walls into a pair of such recesses at opposite locations issufilcient to lock the shell.

effectively and permanently against rotatorymovement, and also againstbeing pulled axially out of the molded body I2. If preferred, the

metal at 23 may be semi-punched and a tongue of the metal bent outwardinto the recess 22. In either case this local expanding from: the midstof the threads sets portions of the shell directly against abutments,viz, against those recess walls which are toward the mouth of thecasing, and against the side walls of each recess. The shell and sealingmedium thus become immobile within the housing,unwithdrawable,.

and with no possible looseness or play, as the base of the shell cameinto superficial contact with the sealing medium when the shell waspressed into it. In this position the sealing medium coacts with the lugas a barrier to prevent rocking of the shell within the housing, and somakes the assembly perfectly and permanently tight.

The invention thus provides for molding. socket housings into whichstandard screw shells can be inserted, both. housings and shells being.made, and the two put together, on. principles of mass production; witheconomies in production, with standard efficiency, and with permanentweather-proof durability.

I. claimv as my invention:

1. A socket for electrical connection, comprising a molded open-mouthedhousing. cup; and a terminal-carrying, open-mouthed, metallic screwshell housed by and interlocked with said housing; the interlockingbeing characterized by this, that a solidified plastic insulatingcomposition is contained within the cup base of the housing, extendingunder the bottom of the shell; that the base part of the shell is im--perforate and is embedded in said composition; that the housing wall hasa recess in. its in-' terior face at a location opposite a screw part ofthe shell; that said recess has walls which afford abrupt obstacles indirection toward the. mouth of the housing and in directions around. theshell; and that a part of the metallic shell, in themidst of the screwportion thereof, stands.

abruptly protruded into said recess, and therein stands engaged withthat wall of the recess which is toward the mouth of the housing, theaxial distance, from the said recess-wall-obstacle which is toward themouth to that part of the composition against which the shell-base isembedded, being equal to the axial distance from the abutting face ofsaid shell-base to the engaged face of said protruded part of shell,whereby the shell, being simultaneously engaged both with the wall andthe basal embedding composition, is held rigid in the housing.

2. A socket for electrical connection, comprising an insulating cup witha bi-terminal metallic shell insert, conductor wires from the insertthrough holes in the cup-bottom, and a sealing medium in the cup-bottomfacing the insert, the whole providing in the cup two oppositely-facingobstruction-abutments, one of which abutments is the cups bottom withsaid sealing medium facing the insert, on which a substantial area ofthe bottom part of the insert is engaged, there being means obstructingflow of sealing medium to the interior of the metallic shell; and theother of which abutments is in a wall of the cup, there being a lateralrecess in the cups wall, open to the interior of the cup, and that wallof this recess which is toward the mouth of the cup constituting theabutment last mentioned; there being a part of the shell-insert wallprotruding laterally into engagement with said recess-wall, wherebymouthward movement of the insert is obstructed; and the axial distancebetween the two said abutments being equal to the axial distance betweenthe two said parts of the insert, whereby the two said engagements ofinsert With cup are simultaneous.

CLINTON BATEHOLTS.

